Arsenic Exposure Risks

Testing services to prevent exposure to arsenic at home and in the workplace offered by leading California environmental testing laboratory.

Garden Grove, CA, June 17, 2013

Arsenic is a naturally occurring element that is widely distributed in the earth's crust. People can at times be exposed to arsenic through tainted air, water and food. Exposure to higher-than-average levels of arsenic occurs mainly in the workplace, near hazardous waste sites and areas with high levels naturally occurring in soil, rocks and water.

Arsenic can combine with other elements such as oxygen, chlorine and sulfur to form inorganic arsenic compounds. Inorganic arsenic compounds were added to California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s (OEHHA) list of chemicals known to the State of California to cause reproductive toxicity for purposes of Proposition 65 in 1987. Inorganic oxides from arsenic were later added to the list in 1997.

Arsenic can enter drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices. A large percentage of industrial arsenic in the U.S. has come from its use as a wood preservative, but arsenic has also been used in paints, dyes, metals, drugs, soaps and semi-conductors. Agricultural applications, mining and smelting can all contribute to arsenic releases into the environment.

“Nationally, the EPA has classified inorganic arsenic as a human carcinogen and has set limits on the amount of arsenic that industrial sources can release into the environment,” reported Michael Chapman, Laboratory Manager of LA Testing’s Garden Grove facility. “There are also permissible exposure limits for workers who may be exposed to arsenic. LA Testing offers arsenic testing services for the general public, industry and government regulators to protect people from the risks associated with exposure to elevated levels of this element.”

LA Testing recently sponsored a video about arsenic exposure risks in the home and work environment that can be seen at:

To learn more about testing for arsenic or other environmental, health and safety issues, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. About LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.LA Testing and EMSL Analytical are providers of environmental testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The companies have an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies. LA Testing has laboratories throughout California to service commercial clients and government agencies as well as the general public.